The Yellow Birds (Kevin Powers)

No amount of praise I could give would sufficiently express just how brilliant Iraq War veteran Kevin Powers’ debut novel, The Yellow Birds, really is. Simply put, it’s an instant classic. More than a great novel, it is an important book. When you hear people compare The Yellow Birds to other great works of war literature, such as The Things They Carried, All Quiet on the Western Front , and/or The Red Badge of Courage, rest assured that they are not exaggerating. This novel is a harrowing yet lyrical depiction of the experience of combat and its haunting aftereffects. It is a visceral, existential read, written with an immediacy that is missing from even most military memoirs. As such, it is proof that works of fiction sometimes cut closest to the truth, helping us understand the world around us in ways that often elude the simple recitation of fact. The Yellow Birds is an unforgettable book.